May 20, Sunday, Saint Paul: At Marunich, we were treated to side-by-side looks at two forms of ROCK SANDPIPER. While the Pribilof’s form (ptilocnemis) is common on the island, a few individuals of the migratory form (tschuktschorum) were also present. A close comparison highlighted the darker coloration of the later form. At Pavolina Lake, Western Sandpipers, Semipalmated Sandpipers, and Dunlin were present. At Webster, we had flyover Pomarine and Long-tailed Jaegers. At Hutchinson Hill, a SNOWY OWL was spotted sitting eerily on a single isolated gravestone, offering us a great view and photo opportunity.
This day also provide an evening LONG-TOED STINT found by Tim Schantz but seen only by a few of us as we were interrupted by a radio call from scouting TDX guide Sean Smith. His call alerted us to three MCKAY’S BUNTINGS at Pavolina Point. This species is always hoped for, but not really expected anywhere. Virtually all of the world’s McKay’s Buntings breed on uninhabited Saint Matthew Island in the Bering Sea and they winter on the lower west coast of Alaska, which is virtually also uninhabited. Although this species is sometime indicated as a regular visitor to both Saint Paul and Gambell, individual birds are very few and far between; most years they are not seen. Listing this species is further complicated because hybrid Snow Bunting x McKay’s Bunting also turn up. Since McKay’s is a great Saint Paul sighting, the group decided to abandon the effort to get everyone on the Long-toed Stint and head for the bunting—a "more difficult" bird. Our decision paid off; we were able to relocate and get good looks of the male and two female McKay’s. These birds were pure in appearance, with no hint of hybrid characteristics. The much brighter white plumage of the McKay’s was striking compared to the Snow Buntings.
May 21, Monday, Saint Paul: The next morning we searched for yesterday’s stint at Antone Lake. We were not able to relocate the stint, however, we were rewarded with great views of a COMMON SANDPIPER, along with another Wood Sandpiper..
At Pump House Pond, a migrating BRISTLE-THIGHED CURLEW was first heard and then clearly seen, flying over the lake. Later, at Webster Lake, a single (the same?) curlew was clearly seen flying over that lake, and joining two more individuals before they all disappeared behind a hill. We quickly located this flock of three curlews on the ground at Sea Lion Neck on the northeast corner of the island; the birds were probably staging for a flight to the Seward Peninsula. We had great looks and photographed these birds at less than 50 feet. (This was a particularly pleasing sighting since late winter snows in Nome cast doubt on our ability to be able to get to the curlew breeding grounds, where most birders often find them).
At Sea Lion Neck, we also found a flock of 12 PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVERS uncharacteristically feeding on the kelp rack line above the beach, in the company of a Savannah Sparrow. At Pump House, we watched a SHORT-EARED OWL hunting around the lake.
May 22, Tuesday, Saint Paul: On the way to Webster, a COMMON GREENSHANK foraged on the edge of Big Lake. More Northern Wheatears frequented Webster. At Antone Lake, a breeding plumage RED-THROATED PIPIT offered cooperative scope looks for all. This is a good bird for the Pribs and generally a tough bird to see well here. Since our time on the Pribs was drawing to a close, we were beginning to worry about one of our target species, the HORNED PUFFIN. These birds arrived at Saint George Island, about 40 miles away, the week before, but prior to this date none had been seen at Saint Paul. As we walked to the edge of the Ridge Wall seabird nesting site, I saw Forrest Davis waiving frantically to me. The first bird had arrived and was swimming right in front of the cliff in plain view. The scope view was a killer.
May 23, Wednesday, Saint Paul: On our final day, on the way to and from Webster, at Fantasy Wetlands, we found more McKay’s Buntings. There were at least two birds present, but probably more. A YELLOW-BILLED LOON was at Southwest Point. Other birds seen this day included a Red-throated Loon flyover at Big Lake, A Lesser Yellowlegs at Southwest Point, a Short-billed Dowitcher at Antone Lake, and both dark and light morph flyover Pomarine Jaegers at Webster Lake.
General Birding Notes: Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs are the most common island birds. The female longspurs were just arriving. Other waterfowl species on the trip list included Green-winged Teal, both the American and European, "COMMON TEAL", forms (recently split by the British Ornithological Union). A lonely Snow Goose was parked on one of the lakes. EURASIAN WIGEON was the more common of the two species. Common Snipe were of the North American delicata form. Glaucous-winged Gulls predominate, however many Glaucous Gulls were present, generally immatures. Murres included Common, as well as the Thick-billed. Some PIGEON GUILLEMOTS were seen.
ANCHORAGE
May 23, Wednesday, Saint Paul Island to Anchorage: Late in the afternoon, we departed Saint Paul on a 2-1/2 hour direct flight for Anchorage on the Pen Air Metro aircraft. Blessed with favorable winds, no refueling stop was necessary.
May 24, Thursday, Anchorage: This was a turnaround day. We did laundry and some local birding.
GAMBELL
Air Travel: May 25, Friday, Anchorage to Nome to Gambell (GAM), Saint Lawrence Island: At 6:40 am we departed Anchorage International Airport on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737, configured half for palletized cargo and half for passengers. Our 90-minute flight covered the 510 air miles to Nome, where we were greeted with snow! Our plan was to connect to a Bering Air flight to Gambell, however, we learned that the Gambell airstrip had been closed since the day before due to snow and wind. We waited hopefully for a weather clearance to proceed and in short order it came. Bering Air flies several aircraft types, but the most common conveyance to Gambell is in their nine-passenger Beechcraft B200. We needed two planes to get our group in. However, because of the back up of passengers and cargo from the previous day, one plane would have to make a turn around, so our second group would follow a few hours later. The skies were completely cloudy for almost the entire flight, until just as we began our approach to Gambell. A weather front had just slid east of the island and our view was perfectly clear, offering great looks at the snow-covered volcanic mountains lining the Chukotsk Peninsula on the coast of Siberia. Burrrr, it looked cold and lonely over there! Gambell was also mostly white, still heavily snow covered. During the day, we counted seven planes landing at Gambell … "where are we, O’Hare?"
Saint Lawrence Island Background: Alaskan and Siberian Yupik Eskimos have inhabited Saint Lawrence Island for over 2,000 years. At its peak, over 4,000 people lived on the island in 35 separate villages. Currently, only 1,200 people live on the island in two villages; Gambell (on the northwest point), and Savoonga (on the north side). The current Gambell village population is 649 and many residents of the two villages are related. During the winter, ATVs can negotiate the distance between the two villages, however, once the snows thaw, the creeks and rivers prevent land travel and the only available options are private boat or Bering Air commercial air travel. Natives are bilingual, speaking both English and Yupik. Gambell is a subsistence community that thrives on walrus, seal and whale—drying meat can be seen behind many houses. Jobs are few and many natives add to their state and federal entitlement incomes by carving Walrus ivory. Carvers visited the lodge to sell us their wares. I am told that this is the cheapest place in Alaska (or anywhere?) to buy walrus ivory carvings. There is no seaport on Saint Lawrence. The only commodity that arrives by sea is diesel fuel, barged in every summer. Everything else is shipped in by air. Travel around town is by ATV or Arctic Cat, depending on the snow conditions. The island natives decided to not participate in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1973; instead, the two villages elected to take title to the 1.1 million acre island, making the entire island their private property. A "land use" permit (approximately $100) is required by any birder to wander to the birding sites. We were told that a Canadian company has proposed to build a copper mine on the island, midway between the villages of Gambell and Savoonga, promising to use local labor. We heard that the village of Gambell approved the plan, but the village of Savoonga has not, at least yet. This is a development birders should keep an eye on.
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| Map of Saint Lawrence Island. Map courtesy of Microsoft Encarta |
Weather/Daylight: Wind and fog are the rule, not the exception. Precipitation occurs 300 days per year and 80 inches of snow is the annual norm. The average June high temperature is 57 (F) and the average low is 45. (Our late May temperatures were much colder). On June 1, the sun sets at 1:22 am and rises at 5:30 am. Twilight never ceases, so it is always light, to some degree.
Accommodations: Upon arrival, we proceeded to our accommodations, the Sivuqaq Inn (Sivuqaq is the Yupik name for both the village and the island). The Inn is sometimes called the "blue lodge" by birders. I understand it was built as a barracks for visiting construction workers. The quarters are adequate and clean. The lodge has approximately 16 rooms and most hold two people. Hallway bathrooms and showers are clean and large. Most all of Gambell is now on "city" water and sewer. Some groups and private birders arrange to either stay in local houses with the natives or lease a local house while the owners temporarily move in with relatives.
Food: The Inn includes a Deli, open only at certain times. Although our group brought our own food and a cook, the Deli offers a backup. The Inn is quite warm; too warm for my taste, as the change from birding in the cold to eating/sleeping/lounging in the warm heat causes you to either sweat or to constantly peel off and put on layers of clothing. The village is "dry"—alcohol is legally prohibited. A fairly large native general store sells canned and frozen foods, and other supplies. The store is closed on Sunday and is also closed on Memorial Day.
Wildlife: We were very impressed by the many whales and telltale "blows" we saw from sea watch. The most striking encounter was with a Humpback Whale feeding only about 30-40 yards offshore on the north side of the island. Here the ocean bottom drops off very quickly, allowing this large animal to work up and down the sea floor right in front of us providing great hump and fluke views. Lemmings and voles are occasionally seen in the bone yards. During the winter, pack ice is generally blown to the shore and the natives sometimes do encounter Polar Bears. We saw one Polar Bear hide drying in front of a local house. Arctic foxes roam the island, however, they tend to get shot when they get close to town (what a big difference from Saint Paul!). The local dogs are vaccinated for rabies once a year.
Gambell Reference: For more information on Gambell, try this web site:
"I Love Alaska—Gambell":
http://www.ilovealaska.com/alaska/Gambell/
Gambell Birding Chronology:
May 25, Friday, Gambell: Ours was the first birding group to arrive this season, so we had little advance scouting reports. After our full group arrived, we struck out for the "far" bone yard. The three bone yards in Gambell are where, for over a hundred years, the natives have discarded the bones of walrus, seal, and other animals after skining the meat and removing any ivory. A female NORTHERN WHEATEAR gave us our first island western Alaska specialty look. Shortly after reaching the bone yard, we spotted several "pure" MCKAY’S BUNTINGS—a real treat for those that had not been with us on the Pribilofs. Soon, more excitement broke as a male EURASIAN BULLFINCH flew through the bone yard and landed close by giving everyone spectacular looks. There are less than ten records for this species in Alaska, including a female that spent part of the past winter in Fairbanks, however, most records of this species are from Gambell. Our bird cooperated not only by staying in place for the length of our stay, but it seemed to have also cloned itself. On a few occasions, two males were seen, and one of our group saw three at once. Present in the far bone yard were also a number of HOARY REDPOLLS.
Next, we journeyed to the "near" bone yard (closer to the Inn). Just beyond the bone yard, where the ground turns grassy and it levels out approaching the beach, Barbara spotted a migrating male BLUETHROAT, and soon a second. The next good bird to pop into view was a WHITE WAGTAIL, near a building, just beyond the near bone yard. Also in the productive near bone yard, we found a few more McKay’s Buntings. A few days later another individual was found in the Gambell dump, making the species an official "trash bird"! (We were feeling much relieved now having seen the curlew, the Bluethroat, and the White Wag after hearing more stories of the Kougarok Road in Nome being closed …. Whew!)
On the sea watch, besides the wonderful parade of the expected seabirds, Forrest Davis called "IVORY GULL" and we had a beautiful look at this adult bird. We saw this species again almost every day. Both TUFTED and HORNED PUFFINS were observed. From the beach, we could clearly see Siberia.
May 26, Saturday, Gambell: At the morning sea watch, an alternate plumage YELLOW-BILLED LOON sat close by in the water. A SLATY-BACKED GULL cooperated by also landing in the water right next to several vegea Herring Gulls, offering good comparisons. A few individuals of the small local DOVEKIE breeding population were spotted flying by.
At the far end of Troutman Lake, the "south marsh" was mostly frozen, but still a few good birds were found, including an injured WOOD SANDPIPER. Subsistence living, and its vestiges, is still the way of life in Gambell. Unfortunately, some locals shoot almost anything that moves, including birds. Although we did encounter a few bird hunters, we understand that this matter is actually now less of a problem than in previous years. We expressed our concerns to the local Tribal Council, since the natives are not exempt from the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
In the near bone yard, several RED-NECKED STINTS were found. In the far bone yard, Common Redpolls were found next to their Hoary cousins. LONG-TAILED JAEGERS flew by, inland, offering great looks.
Our group was invited to a Saturday evening native dance. A few of our party were not too worn out to drop in and they thoroughly enjoyed the native drums, chanting and unique dancing style.
May 27, Sunday, Gambell: This day began with more snow, fog and a wind from the west (yes!!!). Other birding groups were expected to arrive today … but that did not happen. No airplanes were to land today. At sea watch, we watched several male SPECTACLED EIDERS fly by, as well as more common species. In the far bone yard, a male BRAMBLING was seen well by all. Later in the day, several more individuals were seen in the near bone yard.
May 28, Monday, Gambell: Today, the weather cleared and airplanes began to arrive.
A good friend of ours from Maryland, Marshall Iliff, was a leader with another group and we welcomed him at the airstrip. Talking with him, back at the lodge, we mentioned Tim Schantz, whom we assumed would arrive with a later plane. Marshall’s expression changed dramatically and he said, "Didn’t you hear what happen back in Nome?" "No, what?" Marshall explained that a leader of another group, named "Tim", died suddenly of a heart attack yesterday while waiting out the weather delay. We were dumbstruck! I figured there had to be some confusion or a mistake, but I was wrong … the news was correct. Barbara and I had just spent the week before on Saint Paul with Tim and we had told ourselves that we would link up again on Sunday in Gambell, but it was not to be. The other five of our group that got to meet Tim in the Pribilofs commiserated in disbelief
That evening at the sea watch we watched five STELLER’S EIDERS flyby, a drake and four hens. This gave us all four eider species at Gambell.
May 29, Tuesday, Gambell: Today was the day we were to depart but instead we faced another weather delay—no airplanes today. Back to birding, we found a WOOD SANDPIPER at the near marsh that all of the island birders then got to see. Later in the day Forrest Davis found a LONG-TOED STINT at the same marsh. Again, everyone got on it. Many shorebirds engaged in courtship displays, including Western Sandpipers, Dunlin, and Pectoral Sandpipers.
At sea watch, one of our group hollered, "ROSS’S GULL!" It was a beautiful first summer bird … gray upper wings with a dark stripe, neckband, and BRIGHT PINK underneath … someone described it as the pink of a Roseate Spoonbill. No field guide does this plumage justice. The bird was slowly working its way against the wind close to the shore, giving us great views. At one point, it dropped into the water right in front of us providing an even closer examination.
May 30, Wednesday, Gambell: Again, the weather took control. No airplanes today, either. In spite of a southwest wind, the only new bird found was a MONGOLIAN PLOVER, discovered by another group, on the mountain hillside.
May 31, Thursday, Gambell: At a last sea watch, the first EMPEROR GEESE were seen flying by. Also, not just one, but two, first summer Ross’s Gulls were spotted, allowing most of those that missed the first bird to get on one of these two. As the day unfolded, the seas calmed and the sky cleared, providing the best sea watch of our stay.
